This chapter is from the book

This chapter is from the book

You create a database and database tables so that you can store your information in a usable format. You might store information
about contacts, products, inventory, events, members, invoices, orders, customers, or any other collection of related data.
You can set up multiple tables in your database.

In Access, a table is divided into fields, and each field contains one piece of information such as a last name or a price.
One completed set of fields is a record. For instance, in a contact database, the name, address, phone, and other entries
for one contact is one record.

This part covers how to enter data into a database table, creating the records for your database table. You also learn how
to work with the records, edit data, sort records, print data, and so on.

Opening and Closing a Table in Datasheet View

After you've opened the database that contains the table you want to open, click the Tables option in the Objects bar to display the available tables in that database.

Click the table you want to open.

Click the Open button in the database window's toolbar.

INTRODUCTION

To enter data in a table, you start by opening the table in Datasheet view. Looking at a table in Datasheet view is similar
to looking at an Excel worksheet; you see a grid of columns and rows. Each column stores a field, and the column heading is
the field name. Each row is a record. From within Datasheet view, you can enter data.

TIP

Shortcut

As a shortcut, you can double-click the table in the database window instead of clicking it and then clicking the Open button.

The table opens in Datasheet view. If you have entered records in the table, they are visible; if not, the table is blank.

To close the table window, click its Close button.

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Changing Views

When the table is open, you can click the Views button on the Standard toolbar in the main Access window to switch from Datasheet view to Design view and vice versa. You
use Design view to alter the structure of the database, discussed in Parts 2 and 4.